Exodus

The Moses Chronicles #3

by H.B. Moore, Heather B. Moore

Book 3 in The Moses Chronicles series.

Let my people go ...

A plea has been made in behalf of the children of Israel. Now comes the epic climax years in the making—the final showdown between two of the most powerful men in history—one fueled by pride, the other guided by the world of God. Moses has received an extraordinary call from the Lord: he is to lead the exodus of the Hebrew people out of Egypt, ending generations of bondage. And he must return to the land of his birth to boldly petition a man he does not want to challenge ... or lose to: Ramses—pharaoh of Egypt. Ramses, harboring years of feeling betrayed by his best friend, is determined to stop Moses no matter the cost. He will not yield, even as a dark veil of plaques and pestilence descends over the land of Egypt.

What follows is a powerful chronicle of the struggles of the children of Israel as they traverse uncharted territory, both physically and spiritually. Amid the horrific catastrophes devastating their land and through the dramatic evens that follow, the Hebrews must face their fears and their faltering faith. For even in the darkest of times, there are manifestations of the Lord's constant care to inspire their hope for a bright future.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Religion, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Lds Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2016

About the author

Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestselling author of more than seventy publications. She writes historical novels and thrillers under pen name H.B. Moore. She writes women's fiction, romance and inspirational non-fiction under Heather B. Moore. This can all be confusing, so her kids just call her Mom. Heather attended Cairo American College in Egypt, the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University in Utah. Heather is represented by Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret.

Please join Heather's email list at: HBMoore.com/contact

Blog: MyWritersLair.blogspot.com

Website: HBMoore.com

Twitter: @heatherbmoore

Instagram: @authorhbmoore

Facebook: Heather B. Moore All About Books

Literary awards: 2019 Maggie Award Winner, 6-time Best of State Recipient for Best in Literary Arts, 4-time Whitney Award Winner, and 2-time Golden Quill Award Winner

Alternate Goodreads Page: Heather B. Moore

Reviews

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books need to be read in order, as they are chronological. The Bible isn't an easy book to understand sometimes and I often look at those prophets and think of them as almost legends. That combination makes it an intimidating book to tackle. This installment of the series follows the multiple requests of Moses to the pharaoh of Egypt, and his former best friend, Ramses, to release this people from bondage. Each time, the answer is "no," and plagues come over the land.

What I absolutely love about this book (and series) is the incredible way H.B. Moore has of bringing these characters to life and on my level. I'm learning more about how human they actually were--they had real thoughts, feelings, relationships, and struggles. I love that these great people are brought down to my level and these events are told in a way that I could visualize so well. I feel like I grasp things so much better now.

I can't imagine trying to approach a childhood friend with such a scary request, yet Moses does it over and over again. He's an inspiring man. I loved getting to know Bithiah (the woman who raised him) better, as she became a favorite of mine. These people had great trials and I loved understanding them and their reactions more intimately. H.B. Moore is a master at awakening these scriptural stories for a reader.

This is a great read for those who enjoy clean, historical fiction, especially relating to the Bible.

*I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, I was captivated by the way Heather B. Moore entwines the personal emotions of Moses and his family members with the intense, epic nature of the well-known Biblical account. Exodus definitely reads as a sequel to me- the majority of the character development is in the first two books, and this third book is the ultimate climax of all that has been building up. While the author subtly catches us up with where things stand with the main characters, I think the overall reading experience is richer for knowing the details of Moses' relationship with Ramses and his adoptive mother, Miriam and Aaron's struggles as slaves, the exile of Moses, and his romance with Zipporah.

Exodus is a successful example of a story told from multiple perspectives; the author avoided repetition and the various points of view deepened my understanding of how both Egyptians and Hebrews were affected by the politics, plagues, and the Hebrews' exodus from Egypt, the only home they have ever known, into a dangerous wilderness. It was interesting to see Moses portrayed as an outsider and not initially perceived by the people of Israel as their leader, but as time progresses they accept his stewardship over them. Aaron's role as his brother and spokesperson is significant, and I didn't realize the hand he had in executing some of the miracles (time for a visit to my Old Testament...). I appreciated the continuing story of Moses' Egyptian mother Bithiah and Mered, one of the Hebrew scribes in the palace and the one who told her about the Lord, the God of Israel. The action doesn't stop after they leave Egypt, and it was a nice wrap-up to include some of the early experiences in the desert. I HIGHLY recommend this entire series!!! It is definitely one I will be reading again and keeping in my personal library.

(Thank you to Covenant Communications for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, I loved reading a fictional account of a story that I'm familiar with but haven't taken the time to delve into. The characters came to life as I felt the concern Moses had for both the Hebrews and the Egyptians. He had lived among both people and didn't want either group to suffer. Ramses was stubborn and prideful, which caused a lot of physical and emotional damage by the end.

I liked that we got the view points of several different characters. Moses and Aaron, as they were following God's command to set his people free and the difficulties they each had to overcome in order to accomplish that. Bithiah, the Egyptian woman who raised Moses as her own, and was happy to see him again. She changed a lot over the years which made living in the palace difficult at times. And Miriam, who was happy Moses was back but had some issues with his wife, Zipporah.

I grew to love each of these characters more as I got to know them better. It also helped me understand the children of Israel more. Little did they know when they started out how long they would actually end up living in the wilderness. They didn't understand freedom at all since they had always been slaves and there were parts of that life that were difficult to give up.

I loved this series and how this story came to life for me! I've read enough books by Heather Moore to know that it will be well-researched and well-written and hold my attention from beginning to end. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys fictional accounts of scripture stories!

I received a copy from the publisher for an honest review. My opinion is 100% my own.

Mel's Shelves

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed many things about EXODUS, and what I appreciated most was the point of view changes. I felt it really helped the story progress and I was able to get to know each character even better. Heather has an amazing talent in bringing her characters to life. Each character was expertly written with care and detail. Even though there was a lot of going back and forth (of course that was Ramses' doing:), Heather was able to add excitement and suspense to the story. As much as I liked each character (especially Bithiah), I enjoyed getting to know Aaron more and how we were able to see the experiences through his eyes too. I can tell there was a great amount of research involved and Heather pulled it off perfectly.

I received a paperback copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel DeVaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Exodus" is book 3 of The Moses Chronicles and was released this month. The story picks up where it left off at the end of book 2.

I love reading biblical fiction and author HB Moore does a wonderful job describing events and bringing to life the characters mentioned in this story which corresponds with the bible story. The author mentions in the beginning of the book that she had to speed up the timing of some events to keep the steady plot which I didn't mind and I appreciate she pointed that out to keep the story as accurate as possible.

Like the other 2 books, the chapters go back and forth between Moses and Miriam, so the readers get different points of view of events going on. Moses brother Aaron was a big part of this book as he and Moses worked together to try and free the Hebrews.

There was obviously alot of drama due to the plagues and pestilence being sent by the Lord against the Egyptians.

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for book 4! I highly recommend this thrilling biblical series and simply can't say enough good things about it! I have been reading books by this author for years and she is one of my top authors to read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Moses is one of the most powerful in the Bible as well as the Pearl of Great Price. I admire Heather's willingness to attempt to tell that story in novelized form. A fictionalized version of Moses' story makes sense because the scriptures leave some rather significant gaps. I also appreciated the author's taking the time to explain some of the changes she made to the timeline in order to move the story along. When I read historical fiction, it's always nice to know what's been changed for the sake of the story. Still, Moore has created a compelling, powerful story of a man who was called to do what the world would say was impossible. Challenging one of the most powerful men of the time, Moses calls on Pharoah to let the Hebrew slaves go free. Unsurprisingly, Pharoah refuses, but the Lord isn't taking no for an answer. But Moses refuses to go away or give up and under the Lord's direction continues to obey. I felt like H.B. Moore did a fabulous job of creating a picture of what Moses' life may have been like and just what it took for him to follow the Lord. A great conclusion to the trilogy, but definitely not an end to Moses story, as the trilogy focuses on the exit of the Hebrews from Egypt, thus, the years in the wilderness are not covered.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved this whole series and the way that Heather B Moore is able to make the Bible stories that we all know and love really jump off the pages of the book. I love how the characters from these stories become flesh and blood people to me. Heather really has a gift for this type of writing.

I loved Moses in this book. I love the way that you can tell just how much he cares for the children of Israel and also for the Lord and his commandments. I loved the way the story painted him as also caring for all of the people in Pharaoh's court that he would have grown up knowing and for Pharaoh himself, even though the Lord was chastising him.

I love in this series the way that Moses' wife becomes a real person and you can see the way that she sacrifices and cares for Moses and for their family. The same really with his mom and Miriam. It's hard for me sometimes to read the scriptures and realize just how many of the women are nameless and even if they have names, you really don't know them as a person. They're almost cardboard. I know this is a fictionalized account, but I love how it shows that Moses did have women in his life who were strong, caring and really just amazing women and they helped shape him into the amazing prophet that he came.

I liked the ending too. We all know what's going to happen, the Egyptian's eventually let Moses' people go, sort of, and then are killed in the Red Sea. I love how this scene was painted. It really came to life for me in a way that the jello Red Sea in The Ten Commandments never could.

I loved everything about this book and really the whole series. Can't wait for more books by Heather B Moore!

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exodus is a historical novel based on the story of Moses from the Bible. It is most definitely religious in nature. This is the third book in this series and you will want to read these books in order.

What I love about books like this is how the stories and people from the Bible are brought to life. The people become more human, and their struggles and emotions become real. Heather Moore does this so well. It's sometimes hard for me to imagine such things when I am reading stories like this directly from the Bible. I can appreciate the amount of time, thought and research a book like this involves.

Through the course of this series, Moses has become familiar to me. I feel like I know and understand him better. This book is full of miracles but also such devastation. It's hard for me to fathom how the Hebrews and Egyptians both could have seen so many wonders and miracles wrought by the hand of the Lord and still doubted. I wonder what I would have done if I had been there? I'm really glad I wasn't, but still. This book makes you think.

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, especially when it is well done. I love books by H.B. Moore. She is fantastic in this genre (and others too!). I know what's coming for the Hebrew people and I'm looking forward to the next book.

Content: Clean

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about Moses, Miriam, and other family members in this historical fiction presentation. The characters came to life for me. This book dwelt more on the plagues and exodus as recorded in the Bible than on the personal stories of the characters involved. It also dealt with Bithiah, Moses' Egyptian mom's story. I was surprised to find her name and geology listed in the book of Chronicles when I was looking for references to her her in the Bible. I love that reading this series sends me back to the Bible to verify facts and help me find details that I had either forgotten or never found before. With those details in mind, I can then imagine what it might have been like for the people of that time. I gained a greater appreciation for how much the plagues devastated the Egyptians. I also came to see the Hebrews more clearly. I really appreciate the understanding I have gained. I love Moore's devotion to the truth and her insights into these people.

[Corey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This whole series has been great. The author must have put in a ton of time for research. She's very good with the historical details and the fiction that she adds flows along so well and really made me think about things I hadn't really considered before. For example, I knew that many of the plagues didn't affect the Hebrews directly but what I didn't think about were the after-effects, like the possibility (probability) that the Egyptians would come to steal the Hebrews' animals once the Egyptians animals had perished.

Hopefully I'll be able to read all of her scripture series' someday. I think this format (even though parts are fictional) makes remembering the stories (which were real) a lot easier. And I love that she adds a love story and some human interest to keep everything engaging.

[Nari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me a whole new perspective on the Hebrews exodus from Egypt and the events that lead up to it. I liked getting to know Aaron better in this book. I did not realize there were so many plagues that happened before Ramses let the Hebrews leave Egypt. This book made the story become more real to me. I had not thought about how hard it would be for the slaves who had lived their wholes lives being told what to do now to learn to govern themselves. It was interesting to read Moses's point of view- his struggles and worries. The relationship between Aaron and Moses was interesting too. I never thought about Moses being the outsider and needing Aaron to be the spokesmen between him and the Hebrews because the people trusted Aaron more. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy having scripture stories come to life.

[Mae Clair · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the final book in a trilogy about Moses. Books one and two take the reader from his birth to his time as an honored son in the Egyptian court, his exile, marriage, and discovery of the burning bush on Mount Horeb. In book three, Moses returns to Egypt to confront Pharaoh with God’s order to set His people free.

I didn’t read the first two books, which could be why the story slowed for me in some places. There are references to previous events and relationships between the characters. That was all interesting to a degree, but what I was most interested in was the test of wills between Ramses and Moses, and—most especially—the many plagues the Lord sent to Egypt. When the author concentrated on those, the book soared.

Told in third-person POV, the chapters shift between the perspectives of Moses, Aaron, Miriam, and Moses' Egyptian mother, Bithiah. I found the chapters from Moses' POV and Bithiah's the most riveting. And, yes, the author handled the parting of the Red Sea. 4.5 stars!

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been really busy lately and it has been hard finding the time to enjoy reading this novel. Many late nights and falling asleep even as I try to read a few pages before drifting off to sleep. But I finally had some longer moments of time I could read and finish Exodus. I'm between a 4 and 4.5 star rating, and in all honesty if I wasn't so busy and tired I probably would have rated it higher, because I would have enjoyed the flow of the story more than my off and on reading. I'm sure you all know what I am talking about!

I have really enjoyed this series a lot! Exodus was a great ending to the Moses Chronicles. The ending seemed a little abrupt but the author gave us an epilogue that helped smooth that abruptness. She ends right before Moses receives the Ten Commandments, yet the epilogue allows the readers to see that important moment. I would have liked to see the epilogue be the end of the book and then finish with the epilogue saying something about the 40 years of wandering that the Hebrews had to go through. There is a lot of build up about the people questioning and second guessing everything that happens when they encounter another set back in their journey. For example, how would they survive without food or water.

I know I'm talking about the end of the book and after the Hebrews have left Egypt but I will talk about the beginning of the book in a minute. Since I already started on the topic I figured I'd finish before moving on. I love the way the author showed many perspectives about the exodus, Moses, his family and close friends, and the Hebrew people. It showed the many different stages of Faith and obedience. Moses had learned to unquestioningly follow the Lord, knowing He has and would continue to provide for His people and would not promise them something only to deny it. The family and friends of Moses had faith and remembered the many miracles but struggled to watch the wear and tear all the responsibility of freeing their people brought on Moses. The Hebrew people were happy to see the miracles and hand of the Lord but quick to forget once anything hard came and quick to complain to each other and Moses.

Now back to the beginning/middle of the book. A major reason why I enjoyed this series is because of the different characters that the author uses as voices for the story. The emotions, the reasoning, the struggles that are portrayed as to the lives of the Egyptians and Hebrews really helps bring a new perspective for me as a reader. When the plagues came it made me more aware than I was before what the suffering was like. As you read the account in the Bible you can imagine some of the effects of the plagues but how the author wove so many emotions and descriptions into the plagues, it really made me think more in depth about the real suffering and sorrow that occurred.

I especially was grateful having a better awareness of the struggle that Moses faced, knowing what each individual plague would bring and how much the combination of all the plagues would bring the Pharaoh to the point of wanting the slaves to leave the land. The burden Moses carried knowing the devastation that would be brought to the land and the people, yet knowing that it was God's plan and way to free His people, must have been quite heavy to bear at times.

I've rambled on and on, so I'll end my review saying that I enjoyed so many aspects of this book and series that had me thinking about this time in history with some different perspectives than before. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a well written historical fiction based on Biblical times. H.B. Moore is an excellent writer and it shows through her character developments, her research, the setting and the storylines woven together throughout her novels. Very well done.

The content is clean. Of course there is talk about the plagues and the aftermath of those. No swearing or sexual innuendos. Since it is based on the story of Moses there is a very strong religious aspect with constant talk about God.

I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Happy Reading!!!

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I read this book I kept hearing the music to the original film. "Let my people go!" and "This land is mine, God gave this land to me". What a great movie. Now Heather Moore has revived this story for me with her fresh view of what that time in history must have been like. A marvelous book from one of my favorite authors. Truly a story not to be missed.

I did receive this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though the story of Moses is familiar, Heather Moore has made the people come alive in "The Moses Chronicles". In book three, Moses confronts Ramses and requests that he release the Hebrews. It is interesting to read the different points of view as each plague comes upon the Egyptians and how the Hebrews were also affected. I really enjoyed the details and emotions that make these historical events seem more real.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Pennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a perfect ending to an already great series. I loved to imagine not only how Moses may have felt as he brought the plagues that freed the Hebrews but I loved to see how it may have been for his wife and family. This whole series is a fun adventure based on one to the most epic stories of all time.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exodus is a fabulous addition to the Moses Chronicles series. I enjoyed how the author imagine how Moses and other historical figures lived in their time. Great read! 5+ stars

[Sheila (sheilasbookreviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has so far been great! I didn't know how book two and three could be as good as book one, but both have been just as good or even better. If you read my reviews you know I love books written by H.B. Moore (Heather B. Moore), just alone for the fact that she is an amazing writer. She writes realistic historical characters that are brought to life in a big way. Her research is clearly shown in her novels as the setting and the background shine in the story. You feel like you are there and can see and smell everything.

In this third book Moses is trying to set his people free with his brother, Aaron's help. I loved getting to know this character, but the story is told from many people's viewpoint. This added so much more to the story being able to see things from the perspective of the Egyptian Pharaoh Rameses, Moses, and his wife. I am thoroughly enjoying seeing this Bible story brought to life. It was especially intriguing to see how H.B. Moore wrote about the plagues and pestilence which came to the Egyptian people, even though I've read about them for years, this added to the depth of drama and excitement in the story.

If you are looking for a great series to read, with book four still to come, The Moses Chronicles is one I highly recommend. This book is read quickly, because frankly you'll not want to put down this fast paced novel.

[Michelle Llewellyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Act III and the concluding volume in this series about the life of Moses, his people and his family. When we last saw Moses he and Aaron had made their first unsuccessful attempt to plead with Pharaoh, and ironically Moses' best friend from childhood, to let the Hebrew people go. Pharaoh refused, of course. Let the plagues of Egypt begin!
Fans of this author's work will enjoy her last installment. Nothing is left out-the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea and the Lord's providing of manna and water for His chosen people as they sojourned through the desert. What might life have been like had we lived during this time? Would we have had the faith to rely on the Lord? Since the epic story of the most famous Bible prophet in history is too great to include in its entirety here, (the revelation of the Ten Commandments to Moses is given in the Epilogue) readers will be pleased with how Heather Moore chose to end her last book.
Once again there is nothing inappropriate or offensive. A fun story to get into. Everyone should read this series.

[Louise Pledge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where did my review go? I'll try to remember what I wrote.

What a blessing it was to discover this series at the exact time I was studying the Book of Exodus in the Old Testament! Ms. Moore has a unique talent in her telling of the scriptures, in that she causes the reader to feel that he is there living the experiences and emotions. The stories really come to life for us and make our regular scripture reading so much more enjoyable!

While I have imagined the trials of Moses somewhat, I never thought to consider what it might be like for his family (other than his birth mother and sister). I'm grateful to live in a time when life is fairly easy, and it's not difficult to show God our dedication to His word.

[Melissa’s Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this third installment of the Moses Chronicles. I have to admit that I kept picturing Charlton Heston when reading this! The thing that I love about this series is it follows the Bible pretty closely. In this book, we don't get just a few plagues, but all of them. The plight of the Hebrews is really brought to life and I felt like it enhanced my understanding of the Bible. Hoping there is another installment to come! H.B. Moore is an enjoyable writer and I look forward to reading more of her stories.

[Kimberly Fields · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Exodus, as well as the rest of the Moses Chronicles, but didn't find it particularly amazing. It was interesting to get a perspective on what the plagues and flight out of Egypt might have felt like for Moses, his people, and the Egyptians (well done, Moore, for getting all three perspectives in the book). Worth picking up if you're looking for a light read and new perspectives on a traditional biblical tale.

[Liesl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this Moses Chronicles series. It has some things that aren’t for young readers, as it deals with some of the evils of the days, but other than that, It was a great series that really takes you through a lot of what it could have been like. I do recommend this series for those who like religious historical fiction.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved seeing all the plagues and stuff. But this book read like a retelling of the second half of Prince of Egypt. In any other author’s hands, that would sound like a complaint. But HB Moore is such a master of biblical historical fiction that there were bits that I loved. I loved seeing a return to several plot lines that were absent for most of the second book. Primarily Bithia’s storyline.

[Charity Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful conclusion to the Moses Chronicles series. Great characters, plot, and reader of the audio. I love how the author takes biblical stories and turning them into stories that make me want to read the account in the Bible. I highly recommend this series.

[No, David! No! · Rating 3 out of 5]

The series ended okay. I didn't love it. And it some ways it felt a little unfinished. I guess I just prefer some of the other books and movies that have explored this history.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy the way she makes historical people more real. Simple story but good.

[Summers · Rating 3 out of 5]

The end of the trilogy. Well written. Some interesting literary (fictional) additions/ sidelines to the Biblical story.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good series. I love thinking about what life May have been like in Moses’ time.

[Betty Ann Baer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plagues and getting the trust of the Hebrews was hard for Moses.